Q&A with Ashlyn Carmela
“I realized there is a huge gap in the market for something of this brevity so I decided to close it. ”
We took the time to sit down with the CEO of Goldfinger Technology Corporation, founder of Archive Homes Real Estate and up and coming tech entrepreneur Ashlyn Carmela. At just eighteen years old she made her mark in the Real Estate industry beginning in Newport Beach, California and expanded into Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida where she founded her own brokerage, Archive Homes. While tackling the ever changing and challenging business of owning a brokerage, she found the time to venture into the tech world by utilizing her Real Estate knowledge to develop an app that will evolve the antiquated process that is home buying. The app known as Homer is aimed to transform one of the largest sectors of the US economy and is set to launch by the end of the year.
1. Can you outline/describe your typical day?
Generally my day begins around 4:30 am, mediating within those quiet hours has really been helpful in cultivating my mindset and setting my intentions for the day. For me, mediation is my routine; it’s breath work, reading, writing, playing with my puppy Carmel, pilates and most importantly, not picking up my phone until 6 or 7am. My morning routine is the key to aligning my mind, body and soul. The hard part really comes down to maintaining this balance all day.
Typically my days are nothing short of being hectic, being able to regulate my mental space and come back to myself is something I am trying to make more time for throughout the day. In between meetings/zooms I try to find 15-20 minutes where I can put my phone away, read or play piano. Utilizing those found moments to focus on something else allows me to re-center no matter how chaotic my day becomes.
I struggle with turning off my work brain once the “work day” is technically over, but I do my best to redirect my focus on decompressing and shutting off work by 9pm. A ridiculous yet necessary 12 step skincare routine followed by a little bit of reading and catching up with my family are crucial in helping me achieve a clear headspace before bed.
“... discipline creates freedom.”
2. Do you believe that having a structured routine contributes to your success?
Yes absolutely! To put it simply, I would say discipline creates freedom. When you give yourself structure and maintain a high level of self-accountability, you then begin to build an inner integrity that drives you. How you do the little things is how you ultimately end up doing everything. Keeping that same high standard for yourself no matter the task reflects on your inner and outer character. No matter the mood or the type of day I am having, keeping a routine in place helps me to strive to reach my highest potential and in return I notice that I not only perform at my best, but I show up as the best version of myself for others.
I also believe that having a routine is almost like having a reset button in a way; its consistency for me to come back to when I am amidst turbulence. I get the chance to come back to myself; it’s the one thing I can do in which I have total control over. I get to realign my foundation and my essence within my daily routines.
3. What motivates you?
I would say my biggest motivation is to live every day as the best example I can be for my future kids. I want them to think I’m a superhero, I was fortunate enough to grow up thinking the same thing about mine. I want my children to focus on the why’s and the lessons along the way rather than just the end results. Having them understand why I am working on the things I am and the methods of self development it took me to get there is more important than anything.. I ask myself daily, am I living every day to the fullest and setting the example I want my future kids to see? That’s what motivates me to get up every morning.
“ When you give yourself structure and maintain a high level of self-accountability, you then begin to build an inner integrity that drives you.”
4. How did you come up with the idea for both Archive Homes and Homer?
When I decided to build Archive Homes, my Real Estate Brokerage, I originally stemmed the idea from how difficult I found it to find a brokerage /company that conducted business the way I do; which is strongly focused on one’s integrity and their ethics. Once I put the plan into motion I realized that this was where I was meant to be.
I found the majority of the brokerages I worked with scaled their business upon the transactional norm; sell, cash, commissions, etc. It was less about the people, and more about the sales. Archive Homes was created to evolve this practice by supporting the lifestyle and goals of its clientele. We focus on the client’s long term vision, we uphold our company values of honesty, integrity and transparency. We aim to consider ourselves educators. Since I never found a brokerage that believed in all of those aspects I chose to do it myself. I built a business conducive and adhering to all of the above points.
Now Homer, he evolved from this space. My thought was ‘how can I reach the most people to help evolve the practice of Real Estate and how can I help the most people possible and scale accordingly?’ This is where HOMER was created. HOMER is an advanced technology platform, utilizing proprietary algorithms to evolve the home buying process which will ultimately, I believe, change the way Real Estate is conducted. No one home is alike, so why should the process be? Homer is an app where the needs of the clients and the agents will be met. We found a way to close the gap and hear the consumers of the real estate industry and the professionals that serve it. After endless research and frustration, I realized there is a huge gap in the market for something of this brevity so I decided to close it.
